On her latest album, "The Tortured Poets Department," released on April 19th, Swift explores the intricate layers of love, from the euphoria of newfound romance to the heart-wrenching dissolution of a relationship once filled with promise.
While Swift doesn't explicitly name-drop The 1975 frontman, several tracks on the record appear to allude to their relationship, which blossomed in the spring of 2023, almost ten years after initial speculation sparked.
In the track "Guilty as Sin?" Swift, who recently parted ways with actor Joe Alwyn after a six-year relationship, reflects on intense romantic feelings and "fatal fantasies" for a figure from her past, even while committed to someone new. Throughout the song, Swift drops unmistakable hints referencing Healy, including a nod to the synth-pop tune "The Downtown Lights" by The Blue Nile—a band close to Healy's heart, as he has often expressed admiration for their work.
Similarly, in "The Black Dog," Swift tips her hat to another of Healy's musical favorites, The Starting Line, known for their pop-punk sound. The song recounts the longing for a deep connection, interwoven with memories of shared musical moments—a narrative mirroring Swift's and Healy's own journey.
In "Fresh Out the Slammer," Swift muses about breaking free from a stifling relationship, ready to embrace a newfound bond. The track hints at a transatlantic connection, suggesting her new love isn't American—an allusion to both Healy and Alwyn's British heritage.
Their history dates back to the fall of 2014, with rumors swirling after Swift attended multiple 1975 concerts and sported band merchandise, reciprocated by Healy's acknowledgment of her album cover on stage. Their public romance in May 2023, however, faced criticism, largely due to controversial remarks made by Healy, later addressed and apologized for.
Swift's response to the backlash is subtly woven into tracks like "I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)" and "But Daddy I Love Him," where she navigates the complexities of love amidst external scrutiny. Even the album's titular track, "The Tortured Poets Department," hints at their shared history, poking fun at Healy's penchant for the poetic with a reference to a forgotten typewriter left at her apartment.
In the track, Swift paints a vivid picture of her partner's habits, detailing how he smokes and indulges in "seven bars of chocolate," perhaps a subtle nod to The 1975's breakout hit "Chocolate" from 2013. Describing him as a "tattooed golden retriever," Swift hints at Healy's heavily inked appearance. Despite the relationship's challenges, Swift expresses a willingness to weather the storm, hinting at the prospect of marriage. Lyrics such as "[You] awaken with dread, pounding nails in your head / But I’ve read this one where you come undone / I chose this cyclone with you" suggest a deep commitment despite the turbulence.
A poignant moment in the song revolves around a conversation with mutual friends, where Swift's partner allegedly expressed the extreme consequence of her departure. Swift recounts how her partner confided in a friend named Lucy, claiming he would "kill yourself if I ever leave"—a sentiment that resonated deeply with Swift, who had expressed similar feelings to another friend named Jack, making her feel profoundly understood. While the significance of the names Lucy and Jack remains ambiguous, it's worth noting that Jack Antonoff, who co-wrote the song with Swift and produced The 1975's fifth album, "Being Funny in a Foreign Language," adds an intriguing layer to the narrative.
In another poignant verse, Swift recounts a tender moment shared with her partner, where he removes her ring from her middle finger and slides it onto the traditional ring finger—a gesture laden with symbolism, symbolizing the closest she's ever felt to her heart bursting with emotion.
“At dinner you take my ring off my middle finger and put it on the one people put wedding rings on / And that’s the closest I’ve come to my heart exploding”
Yet, the joy depicted in "The Tortured Poets Department" seems fleeting, as Swift transitions to the melancholic tones of "loml." Here, she narrates the tale of reigniting a past flame, only to witness its rapid demise.
The lyrics unravel the narrative of someone returning to her life, a familiar face from their youth (Matty, whom she has had an intriguing relationship with since the last decade), professing transformation and declaring her as the love of his life. However, Swift exposes the hollowness of these promises, labeling the song's subject a "con man" who peddled false hopes and a counterfeit version of love.
"It was legendary / It was momentary / It was unnecessary / Should’ve let it stay buried," she laments, reflecting on the bittersweet reunion. Swift's words resonate with a sense of betrayal and disillusionment as she unravels the deceit woven into their rekindled romance. “Oh what a valiant roar / What a bland goodbye / The coward claimed he was a lion / I’m combing through the braids of lies / ‘I’ll never leave’ / ‘Nevermind.’”
In "Down Bad," Swift shares her sense of abandonment by her beloved, while in "I Can Do It with a Broken Heart," she exposes the challenge of maintaining a facade of happiness during every performance of the Eras Tour, despite the ache of heartbreak.
In "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived," Swift unleashes her fury at a romantic partner who deceived her into believing they shared genuine love, only to vanish without a trace, shattering her summer with their departure.
“It wasn’t sexy once it wasn’t forbidden / I would’ve died for your sins / Instead I just died inside,” she sings. “And you deserve prison but you won’t get time / You’ll slide into inboxes and slip through the bars / You crashed my party and your rental car / You said normal girls were ‘boring’ / But you were gone by the morning.”
In "Chloe or Sam or Sophie or Marcus," Swift reflects on how the passage of time has played tricks on them over nearly a decade, possibly alluding to the span between her initial encounter with Healy and their eventual romance.
She further delves into the narrative, describing the song's subject witnessing her with a new boyfriend Travis, someone who exudes a demeanor reminiscent of a schoolyard bully—a subtle nod, perhaps, to Kelce's athletic prowess and stature so she sings “out with somebody new who seemed like he would’ve bullied you in school,”.
In "How Did It End," Swift candidly addresses the abrupt and less-than-amicable conclusion of a relationship, recounting how she and her partner remained oblivious to unforeseen challenges and became ensnared in the scrutiny of onlookers—an implicit acknowledgment, perhaps, of the critics of her connection with Healy. She sings “were blind to unforeseen circumstances” and “fell victim to interloper’s glances,”.
Transitioning to "Peter," Swift draws a clear parallel to the iconic character from folklore, Peter Pan, symbolizing eternal youth and an inability to mature. The song paints a picture of a promise made in youth by someone who vowed to return and find her as they grew older, echoing Healy's own self-identification as a Peter Pan figure. Moreover, Swift hints at the age of her romantic interest, mentioning they were 25 when their paths first crossed—an age that aligns with Healy's timeline, as he too was 25 in 2014, coinciding with their initial meeting.
There’s been speculation for years that Swift’s Folklore song “Cardigan” is possibly about Healy, and last year, during their brief romance, fans believe she mouthed a sweet message to him onstage "This is about you. You know who you are. I love you,” while performing the song. Futhrmore what supports this is that he mouthed the same words two days before during his show while she was in attendance. Finally, the song “cardigan” contains the lines “Tried to change the ending/Peter losing Wendy” — a hint that both “Cardigan” and “Peter” are about the same subject.
Finally, lets take a look at the parallels between both songs - “imgonnagetyouback” and “fallingforyou".
I think this says enough.
As we dive deeper into the captivating world of Taylor Swift's "The Tortured Poets Department," we find ourselves entangled in a web of emotion, intrigue, and unspoken truths. With each verse, Swift invites us into her heartache and triumphs, weaving a narrative that resonates with the echoes of our own experiences.
But just as we begin to unravel the mysteries laid before us, the melody fades, leaving us yearning for more. What lies beyond the horizon of this musical odyssey? What untold stories and hidden revelations await us in the next chapter?
Stay tuned, dear readers, for the saga continues. Part 3 may be closer than you think, promising to unveil even more secrets and insights into Swift's enigmatic world. Until then, let the melodies linger in your mind and the lyrics dance on your lips, for the journey has only just begun.
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